America At War Part 1
by Jono101
Summary: The First Saga in Craig Wilsons Heroic Struggle with an Unknown Menace


A flash of lightning woke me suddenly. There was something different about tonight, a sixth sense was warning me something big was about to happen. Or it might have been the pale orange in the sky. I heard something in the background. I wasn't sure if it was real or my imagination, I needed to calm my mind and find out what the ringing was.

'Strange,' I thought. 'The kitchen seems darker that it should be.'

The ringing began again, I realised it was the phone, before I picked it up, everything stopped.

'Curious,' I whispered, as I walked out, I raced to the phone as it started ringing again.

'Lieutenant Wilson, we need you here now,' a voice said with a tone of authority

'What's this abo…' the line died before I could finish.

'Well that was strange,' I said sarcastically before changing my attitude 'but it has to be serious.'

I rushed to get changed and freshen up to make myself presentable. The phone rang again.

'I said now not 5 minutes ago!' the voice barked

I rushed to the door, grabbed my keys, locked up and literally bolted out the door.

Driving to work was eerie. Even though the streets should be packed at this hour, with late night shoppers and weary night shift workers, there was no traffic what so ever. I thought the hairs on the back of my neck stood out so much I would have looked like a porcupine, it was the same feeling as earlier this morning was screaming at me to run, so I drove a little faster, I knew I couldn't get caught by cameras because of my position, but I could still get stopped by cops. I raced down the empty side streets to avoid any unpleasant encounters.

It was even stranger when I approached the base; there was no action at all. There was no movement. The only people I can see are the duty guards and the computer labs, lights on and full of people; a beacon of light in an orange night. That seemed to be my destination; I passed security and drove to the labs, drawn like moth to a flame.

'This is going to be a long night' I predicted as I parked.

'You're late lieutenant,' it was the voice from the phone.

'As I said, what's this about,' I requested

'We've picked up a transmission followed by some unusual radio and radar silence. The whole area has gone dark, even the satellites can't see that region, we're completely blind now. So we need you to fly there with the new V-17 lightning bolt, with a few,' he stated as he looked at his assistants, 'Modifications?'

'The new Lightning's systems are online and fully operational.'

'So when do I fly out?' I asked  
'Immediately,'

The pre-flight checks were unneeded and unwanted to say the least. The mission HQ leader wanted me off straight away after my personal prep but I wanted to check the V-17 myself, as any pilot should do before a flight. It was a strange aircraft, it has small wings and a shortened body with an abnormal hull.

'Time to go,' I thought. I jumped into the cockpit and got comfortable

'Tower, this is prototype V-17 lightning bolt requesting clearance for take off.'

'Take off cleared, you may launch when ready V-17.'

'Roger tower. Control, what are the specs on the V-17?'

'Roger V-17, the equipment on the lightning bolt is normal to the F-35 with a few modifications, See the control stick to your left, which activates the Q-29 B experimental gun, there's 2 settings, one's rapid fire the others a shell. If you use the single shot you will be defenceless for 20 seconds.'

Roger on the new systems, everything's a go here, fly to the designated area and get a situation update.'

'God Speed Wilson.' Control ended.

I turned the radio to stand by.

'Now let's see what this baby can do.'

As I flicked the switch for engine unlock, I could feel the adrenaline rush I always get before I try these aerial manoeuvres.

'Time to do this.'

The specs on these new systems were far superior to the normal specs on my usual fighter. I started to roll; the G's almost undetectable after 5 years as a lieutenant which was probably why I was chosen for this mission, I was the best pilot in recent memory.

'The handling on the V-17 is amazing,' I stated to myself 'well 2 hours on till the target zone.'

And with the auto pilot on, I sat there and waited

Noise, All I could hear was noise. All I could see was white and red, flying in cloud cover and the warning light going berserk. I switch off the autopilot and quickly took control of the situation, realising that there were 7 contacts on the radar. I decided to climb from 4500 feet to 5500 feet, close to the height limit on the lightning to try to get a better grasp on the situation.

'Urgent distress call, we are under attack, request urgent assistance, this is Roswell air base. I repeat, we are under attack, requesting urgent assistance, this is Roswell air base.'

'Roswell airbase this is the V-17 lightning bolt from the DC military Air base, what is your current situation.'

'We are under attack from unknown aircraft, they bombed the airfield and we have spotted landing craft heading for our warehouses, you must stop those craft before they destroy or enter the warehouses.'

'Roger that, destroy all hostile landing craft, Can you scramble any reinforcements?'

'Negative, all our airpower was bombed when this began.'

'Roger that.' I ended, turning the radio off.

'This is going to be fun.'

'Retract wings,' suddenly I went in a fall, straight out of the cloud cover.

'Three escorts with 4 landing craft,' I noted 'time to go.'

I let off the rapid fire for a few seconds, taking out the escorts and damaging a troop transport, I felt a shiver down by back, as every time I shoot someone down, but I ignore it, I had other things to worry about, now they notice me. It's not easy to dodge they're fire while ascending.

'Activating Sub sonic flight,'

I shot past them, whilst deploying flares at the same time. It's an old trick that I picked up in Iraq, but it's risky because I have to be close and in-between two of them. If my estimations are off I could find my self ether dead or ejected. This time on the other hand, it worked perfectly.

'One hostile craft left,'

I flipped and descended rapidly, destroying the final craft in the process.

'Ahh!' there was a pain, in my chest, the same pain I get when I'm in danger but this was different, this was intense.

'Massive Contact!' the radar was going crazy, my head spun like a top, the noise was unbearable, then everything went black, like all the life has gone from the world.

I retracted the wings to go into a free fall again, to 1000 feet, then all I saw was blue, there was a massive build up of energy at the contact, then all released in a second, towards the base.

'Base, Report.' Static, 'Base, Report!' there was no reply.

I cursed myself for my carelessness, allowing relaxation to take control.

More warning lights went off, more pain radiating from my chest, ignoring it I flipped to get visual contact on the new danger, but I couldn't believe my eyes, it was a massive ship, air craft, space-ship, I don't know what to call it but it's not of this earth.  
'Snap out of it!' I thought very loudly, I hit sub-sonic, shooting towards the enemy ship, taking a few shots before I shoot past but nothing happened.

'It must have shields,' this battle looked very one sided, but I can't think like that, the first stage of loss starts in the brain, So I dove for another attack run. BANG!

There was a sudden lurch as my left wing got hit, smoking as it is, I knew it wouldn't last long at these speeds and if I went any slower I would almost certainly be hit again, so I charged my guns single shot, aimed at the hanger and prepared to jump out.

Just before impact I grabbed my pistol, my katana the one thing I never leave base without, kicked the trigger and jumped.

Instead of falling threw the air waiting to pull my chute, I hit something quiet hard, then everything went black.

Ah! I fell to the ground, gain consciousness, only slightly but enough to know what's going on, there was two of them dragging me away from the hanger, I needed to get out now because if the ship had the fire power to destroy the base in one second, I don't want to know what these foot soldiers could do to one un armed man, well almost unarmed, I could still see my Katana and pistol.

I fell to the ground, deliberately this time, regaining more strength in my senses every passing second and made my move. I kicked with all my strength to my left and using that impact I jumped to the right, hitting both of them. This time luck was on my side as I tackled the one with my Katana and Pistol; I drew my blade and slashed at the remaining guard, probably killing him but couldn't be sure.

I ran down the Corridor, my pistol behind me and my Blade sheathed so I wouldn't reveal my position, even though it could cost me my life due to those precious few seconds it will take to draw, but in this situation it will take more stealth than Force.

I ran down at least 3 corridors with out running to anyone, but my luck ran out as I hit a patrol, counting 6 in all I ran round the corner.

'Damn I think they saw me' I muttered, regretting it as they heard me.

Knowing that I knew I had to fight, so I threw my sheath away and dived for it, letting off a warning shot and getting into another piece of cover

'Stay Back I'm armed' I warned them, trying to avoid a fight

'You Stole from us' I think they said 'Your whole planet will burn in blue fire'

That was it; there was no avoiding this fight, but that wasn't the only reason I warned them, now I know where they are.

'Well that's just too…' I leapt from cover instantly, taking two shoots as I dived forward. Even startled these guys are good; I nearly got hit twice by blue bolts of energy.

'Damn' I muttered in admiration, but I could barely hear myself over my heart beets and the constant fire, two bolts every second, they must be firing and reloading in pairs; standard formation.

'This one's going to be tough.' Then I saw it, a panel in the wall where I dived, it looks like a grate; a ventilation system maybe, or in this case an escape route. Locked! Of course it is, why wouldn't it be. Shooting the lock off I counted my remaining ammo, six bullets left in the magazine, crawling into the ducts was a tight fit but I made it, just.

I was totally lost in the vents of this massive ship, moving at a snail's pace without making any noise what so ever so not to alert anyone to my presence; or anything. Listening to any patrols walking under foot.

Hitting another panel I hear movement underneath, this part of the vents is larger than before so I get comfortable, only to realise that there are only two of them. Slowly opening the grate I glide down gracefully without alerting the patrol.

'Does anyone know where the restroom is? It's kind of urgent.' I called jokingly; as soon as they turned around I slashed one in the head and the other in the arm. 'Now let's see what we're dealing with here.'

Close examination of their equipment was puzzling to say the least, the dark green uniform was made of a unusual, solid, leather like material; something that looks like a control panel on both of their right wrists; and an eerie helmet that looks like something pulled straight out of your worst nightmare. There also seems to be what looks like a latch on the base of the skull, slowly I flip it.

I jump back as the helmet falls off; I've seen some crazy stuff in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq; but nothing like this horror. The face was like nothing of this world, a light green like the armour, it looks like a human face but at the same time, it doesn't.

After putting the helmet back on I turn my attention to the wrist pad; the pad was equip with a screen, two buttons and a keypad, attached by another latch directly under the control panel. Removing it carefully, I can see everything with more detail, including a map and what looks like a communications system. I put the system on when I hear something, I grab my pistol and turn towards the other body, and it was still alive.  
"Why are you here?" I barked harshly, why be diplomatic when you don't have to be, once someone's initiated hostilities, diplomacy hardly works; and after the last patrol I know it was never going to work.

'We're here following orders; the fleet will descend and destroy this pitiful planet!' This guy's not messing around, definitely extra-terrestrial now.

With a low, intent and affirming voice I whisper 'Why are you here?! Tell me now!'

'Never! You shall pay the price for taking what is rightfully ours!' He screams, pressing a button on his pad 'and now you shall die with me.'

Sirens start blaring, everything goes red and I can hear running feet down every hallway. After killing the remaining alien and grabbing the two guns, I jump back in the ducts and wait them out.

'You ten, sweep these corridors for any sign of the intruder; you ten report to the hanger bay, don't let anything on or off this ship; you six follow me, we need to brief the commander.' This guy surely does know what he's doing, if I wasn't in the ducts I would have been a goner.

The map doesn't tell me much, it shows where I am, where other troops are but it doesn't show any landmarks anywhere, but I can see a squad of ten moving east, and with the other 10 men split into 5 man units, they must be going to the hanger. 'East it is.'

Slowly but surely I make my way east, constantly keeping track of all movement in my general area. Every so often there is chatter from troops all over the ship, most of which related to the search for me. 'I seem to be a celebrity around here.' I grin, it's not every day you're attacked by a ship of killer aliens and have hundreds of people running off over the place looking for you.

'Here we go.'

Dropping from the roof, I could Count 6 people in the hanger, two troops and 4 pilots. Taking my time and darting from cover to cover, slowly moving closer to the enemy.

50 feet now. 40 feet. 30 feet away from the enemy I see what looks like a turret.

'This could be fun' and adjust my course accordingly.

Jumping in was the easy part, turning it on and firing was the hard part.

The low drone of the reactor was ominous, all the controls were blue and what looks like a shield activated 'That's cool'

Lining us my targets carefully, what looks like a fuel tank next to the troops and half of the pilots 'Hey Guys, What's Up!' The Explosion was magnificent, more so that I would have expected from a fuel tank, oh well it worked didn't it.

Now sprinting to the other pilots; slashing at them gracefully and brutally as I run past, towards the same model fighter I took out in the dogfight earlier.

'Take Off! Yea WHO!'

Flyers, what a surprise. But what is a surprise is the similar setup to the V-17 Lightning Bolt; something fishy's going on here 'I'll have to report this to base.'

'Lockdown Lockdown' Sirens roared, lights blinked, flashing red light is never good.

Flying out of the hanger was a breeze, even with the lockdown, nothing a good shot with these guns can't do.

'Damn it, they've scrambled after me! Three contacts, coming in hot!'

Splitting the duel control to the engines, I perform some simple manoeuvres, all the more potent with duel control, something that I've never experienced. Stopping in mid-air and allowing them to overtake me allows me to take one down. Descending 50 feet and hitting supersonic after the remaining jets. Strafe left to avoid incoming fire and send some back

Where the third is I don't know. Probably flew back for re-enforcements, so I shouldn't be sticking around here. Loading my location into a GPS system, now comes the long wait to DC, again!

'Why does this keep happening to me?' after four tours overseas, you see some pretty strange stuff, including long flights over hostile territory, torture and murder; but hell, nothing I've ever seen has come close to what I've seen today.


End file.
